Robert Kraft uses Patriots plane to get 1.2 million masks from China for health care workers

Robert Kraft uses Patriots plane to get 1.2 million masks from China for health care workers

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Updated: 10:40 AM EDT Apr 2, 2020

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OVERNIGHT REPORTS OF A MAJOR MOVE BY A FAMILIAR FACE. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. GOVERNOR BAKER DROPPED A HINT YESTERDAY THAT HE WOULD HAVE A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PROTECTIVE GEAR TODAY. ROBERT KRAFT STEPPING IN TO HELP. HE IS PROVIDING A PATRIOTS PLANE TO TRANSPORT PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FROM CHINA. IT IS MUCH-NEEDED GEAR THAT THE STATE HAS REPEATEDLY ORDERED BUT LOST OUT TO IN BIDS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES. GOVERNOR BAKER AND ROBERT KRAFT WILL GREET THAT PLANE THIS AFTERNOON AND THEN THE NATIONAL GUARD TRANSPORTS THE SUPPLIES TO A STRATEGIC STOCKPILE IN MARLBOROUGH. THIS COMES AS A SURGE OF COVID-19 CASES IT’S EXPECTED. THE STATE HAS BEEN RUSHING TO PREPARE FOR THAT SURGE, INCLUDING TURNING TWO SITES INTO FIELD HOSPITALS, THE DCU CENTER IN WORCESTER AND THE BOSTON CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER. WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO GET CONFIRMATION BUT AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR HINTED YESTERDAY HE WOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. WE WIL

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is stepping in to help medical professionals who are caring for coronavirus patients.A Patriots plane full of much-needed protective gear for health care workers is on its way to Massachusetts from China. The plane departed Shenzhen, China, just after 3:30 a.m. en route to Logan International Airport with 1.2 million N95 masks, according to the Wall Street Journal. It was only allowed to be on the ground for three hours as workers in masks and full-body suits loaded boxes onto the plane.Gov. Charlie Baker shared a photo of the plane early Thursday on Twitter, saying "No days off. Thanks to some serious teamwork, Massachusetts is set to receive over 1 million N95 masks for our front-line workers. Huge thanks to the Krafts and several dedicated partners for making this happen."Kraft is expected to join Baker to greet the plane when it arrives later Thursday in Boston.“As I said before, ordering vital equipment like this is only one part of the challenge and I am incredibly grateful that the Kraft's worked this issue relentlessly alongside our Command Center staff to get these critical supplies to Massachusetts," Baker said. The governor said the Krafts teamed with Ambassador Huang Ping, Dr. Jason Li, Gene Hartigan and the state's COVID-19 Command Center to make the mission possible. "Our administration will keep pursuing the PPE necessary to support our brave front-line workers who are working tirelessly to save lives during this pandemic," Baker said.The supplies will then be transported by the National Guard to a stockpile in Marlborough. The help comes after the governor has for weeks described attempts to order personal protective equipment, only to be outbid by the federal government and other countries.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is stepping in to help medical professionals who are caring for coronavirus patients.

A Patriots plane full of much-needed protective gear for health care workers is on its way to Massachusetts from China.

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The plane departed Shenzhen, China, just after 3:30 a.m. en route to Logan International Airport with 1.2 million N95 masks, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It was only allowed to be on the ground for three hours as workers in masks and full-body suits loaded boxes onto the plane.

Gov. Charlie Baker shared a photo of the plane early Thursday on Twitter, saying "No days off. Thanks to some serious teamwork, Massachusetts is set to receive over 1 million N95 masks for our front-line workers. Huge thanks to the Krafts and several dedicated partners for making this happen."

No days off. Thanks to some serious teamwork, Massachusetts is set to receive over 1 million N95 masks for our front-line workers. Huge thanks to the Krafts and several dedicated partners for making this happen. pic.twitter.com/ieV6XMC5Ow

Kraft is expected to join Baker to greet the plane when it arrives later Thursday in Boston.

“As I said before, ordering vital equipment like this is only one part of the challenge and I am incredibly grateful that the Kraft's worked this issue relentlessly alongside our Command Center staff to get these critical supplies to Massachusetts," Baker said.

The governor said the Krafts teamed with Ambassador Huang Ping, Dr. Jason Li, Gene Hartigan and the state's COVID-19 Command Center to make the mission possible.